APA in PowerPoint and Canva: citing sources on slides
Quick answer
In a presentation, APA does not regulate margins or spacing, but it does regulate citation. Cite author and year on every slide that uses a source, credit every image, and end with a "References" slide in alphabetical order with a hanging indent.
Which parts of APA apply to slides?
Citation and references. APA does not set margins, spacing or typography for slides, since it defines print documents. What stays the same: every borrowed idea, figure or image gets credit.
How do I cite on the slides?
- Put a short citation at the bottom of the slide where the data appears: (Rivera, 2022).
- For an image, add a note: Note. Adapted from City Market, by A. Torres, 2021, Example Archive.
- If the image is yours, no citation is needed.
How do I build the references slide?
It is the last slide. Title it "References" and list sources alphabetically with a hanging indent. If the list does not fit, split it across two slides. Use the reference guides for each entry.
How do I do it in Canva?
Canva has no built-in APA style. Add citations with small text boxes at the bottom and create the final slide with the list. Check that italics survive.
And in PowerPoint?
Build the list in Word, copy it to the slide, then fix the hanging indent under Paragraph.
Checklist
- Short citation on each slide with a source
- Credit for each borrowed image
- Final references slide
- Alphabetical order
- Legible text at a distance
Frequently asked questions
How do you cite sources in a presentation in APA?
Put author and year on the slide where the data appears, such as (Rivera, 2022). Add a final slide titled References with the full list in alphabetical order, using a hanging indent for each entry.
How do I cite an image on a slide?
Under the image write a short note: Note. Adapted from Title, by A. Author, year, Site. License. Then add the full source to the reference list. If the image is yours, you can skip the note.
What font and size should slides use?
APA sets no typography for slides. Use a legible sans serif font, at least 24 pt for body text, and keep the same style across slides so that the audience can read everything from the back of the room.